Final Goodbye
by Hikaru Morinaga
Summary: Post Rekka. It was Hector's worst nightmare and it came alive. He would have cried, but he had to be strong, had to be strong for his daughter. One shot.


**Final Farewell**

**128. funeral**

Florina had never felt so helpless.

It was snowing somewhat as spears clashed against spears and swords clashed against swords, the weapons in the hands of soldiers who wore Bern's colours. She petted Huey's mane and took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She was a seasoned Pegasus Knight - what was she so nervous about? Fiora doubted Florina's decision to fight Bern's troops in Ilia, and Farina said she should be "home with your husband and daughter." Now Florina was beginning to doubt herself.

That was why she didn't see the arrow coming towards her until it was too late to dodge it.

-x-

Hector had never felt so restless.

No matter what he did or where he went, he couldn't help but worry. There was no news of any kind from Ilia on how the fighting was doing, and for the first time in his life, Hector felt fear.

Lilina was in the corner of his study playing with her dolls, not aware of anything going on in the world, and Hector envied her.

"Father?" she asked sweetly, her eyes looking up innocently at him. "Faaaather."

Hector looked away from the window and turned to face her.

"Yes, Lili?"

"Father...when's Mother coming home?"

Hector sighed. She had been asking that question since her mother left for Ilia.

"Soon, sweetheart. Soon." Hector leaned against the window sill and crossed his arms.

"_How_ soon?" she pressed, not happy with his answer.

Hector shrugged. "As soon as she can, Lili. It might not be for a while."

Lilina went back to playing with her dolls, brushing the hair of one of them.

"I miss Mother," she said softly.

Hector turned back to the window. "I miss her too, Lilina."

He wouldn't receive the letter for two days.

-x-

"Florina, hang on. The healer's on his way."

The arrow was in pretty deep, and the shaft of it broke in half. Her shirt was stained with blood, and a small pool of it stained the pure white snow beneath her lithe form.

"I...I don't think it's worth it..." Florina muttered as Fiora wiped the blood from her sister's mouth.

"Of course it is!" Fiora cried, nearly hysterical. "You _have_ to live! You must return to your lord husband and your daughter. Florina...!"

Florina did not seem to hear her.

"Please tell... Please tell Hector and...Lilina... ...I'm sorry..."

Fiora clutched her sister's body to her chest as her shoulders shook with sobs.

-x-

It was the first time she ever saw her father cry.

Hector angrily crumpled up the letter, tears threatening to spill down his cheeks. He should have kept her home, he should have never let her go and fight Bern's troops...

"Daddy?"

Hector hastily wiped his eyes on his sleeve and threw the crumpled parchment onto his desk from where he stood near the window.

"Yes, sweetheart?" His voice was hoarse, rough. Why was her father so sad?

"Father...why are all the people so sad? Uncle Matthew and Uncle Oswin and Aunt Serra...they won't tell me, and Aunt Serra's crying." She stared at him with those eyes - her mother's eyes - with her hands behind her back and her face hidden by the frills of her dress collar.

Hector took a deep breath so he would calm down just a bit more. "...Something bad happened, Lili." He needed to buy some time to think of how he could tell her the news.

Innocently, she asked, "When's Mother coming home from her trip? It's been a while, and Uncle Oswin said that Ilia was conquered."

Hector had his feet on his desk, his eyes trained towards the wall. It was better to act as he normally did; he didn't want to cause her alarm. "...Yes, it was."

"Then why is everyone so sad if Mother should be home soon? We should be planning a celebration for her return!"

Hector leaned back in his chair and slid his feet off the desk; he beckoned her closer with a hand gesture. She came closer and held her arms out and up, wanting him to pick her up and sit her on his lap. He complied and sat her on his lap.

"Lilina... I've always told you you shouldn't get too excited."

"...Mother is coming home, right?"

She saw the look of sadness on her father's face and stared long and hard at him. "Father?"

"...I'm sorry, Lilina. Your mother isn't... She isn't coming home." He cleared his throat, trying to get rid of the lump in it that made it so hard to talk.

Lilina shifted in his lap, not understanding. "...Why not?"

Hector cleared his throat again. He needed to tell her, he had to stop beating around the bush.

"Your mother had an accident."

Lilina's mouth fell open. "Is she okay?"

Hector slowly shook his head. "...No, Lilina, she's not."

Lilina's lower lip quivered. "...She's...gone?"

Hector took a wavering breath. "Yes, Lilina. ...She is."

As tears came to her eyes, she said, "But...I want Mother _home_. This isn't fair!"

She threw her arms around her father's neck and buried her face in his shoulder. He held her to him tightly and rubbed her back as she sobbed.

Hector held back his tears. He had to be strong for Lilina.

-x-

It was raining out a bit as the Eliminean priest went on with the funeral rites. They placed the casket above the grave and slowly lowered it into the hole as a dirge played quietly in the background. Hector adjusted Lilina in his arms, turning her head away so that she would not see them bury her mother, and so she would not see the tears that just wouldn't stay at bay. Serra bit the edge of her hankerchief as Oswin wrapped his arms around her, and Matthew stood by Hector's side in a comforting "I'm here for you" sort of way.

It was Hector's worst nightmare and it came alive.


End file.
